Coupler carrier



J. E. FLESCH coUPL ER CARRIER Filed July 2l, 1941.

Dec. 29, 1942.

Patented Dec. 2.9, y1942 John E. Flesch, Chicago, I1l., assigner toAmerican; lSteel Foundries, Chicago, Ill.V a corporation of New JerseyApplication July 21, 1941, Serial No. 403,320

2 Claims.

My invention relates to supporting means for railway car couplers andmore particularly to a coupler support utilizing resilient means betweenthe shank of the associated coupler and the coupier carrier.

The main object of my invention is to resiliently support a couplershank on a coupler carrier in a manner such that severe pounding of theshank against the carrier resulting from jolts and irregularities in thetrack is substantially eliminated. This severe pounding causesunpleasant and objectionable noise and, therefore, another object of myinvention is to deaden and reduce such noise to a minimum. A furtherobject of my invention is to reduce wear on the coupler shank caused byrubbing of the shank against the coupler carrier and the above-mentionedpounding.

A speciic object of my invention is to resiliently support a coupler bymeans of a block of resilient material interposed between the couplercarrier and the superposed coupler shank, said resilient block beingunder compression in normal position of the coupler so thatirregularities in the track will not cause lifting of the shank off theWear plate which may be inserted between the resilient block and theshank.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a top View of a coupler carrier embodying myinvention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Figure 1, andFigure 3 is a side View of the carrier shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The coupler carrier generally indicated at 2 comprises spaced side walls4, 4 having at opposite ends a hook-like structure 6, 6 presentingcurved recesses 8, 8 aiording a bearing for the trunnion ends ofassociated hangers or links (not shown) which swingably support thecoupler carrier from an associated car part. Each upstanding end portionIii includes spaced vertical walls I2, I2 integrally formed with theadjacent ends of the side walls 4, 4, said Vertical walls I2, I2defining therebetween a slot I4 adapted to accommodate the shank portionof the associated hanger and to permit lateral swing motion of thecoupler carrier. The spaced vertical walls I2, I2 may be joined at theirinner ends by substantially Vertical transverse end walls I6, I6 whichalso merge with the side walls 4, 4. Extending between the upstandingend portions I0, IIJ and integrally formed with the side walls 4, 4 andthe walls I6, I6 is a substantially horizontal web I8 which is disposedintermediate top and bottom edges of the side walls 4, 4 to afford arectangular pocket 20. A central transverse rib 22 extends between theside walls 4, 4 beneath the web I8 for reinforcement. K

The top surface of the horizontal web I8 aiords a seat as at 24 for asubstantially rectangular block or member 26 of any suitable resilientmaterial received within the pocket 20. The resilient member 26 hasspaced openings 28, 28 extending therethrough for reception within oneof their ends of the spaced bosses 30, 30 formed on the web I8 forpositioning the resilient member 26. The resilient member 26 may beslightly smaller than the pocket 2G in order to afford space for theflow of the rubber when the resilient member is placed undercompression. Seated on top of the resilient member as at 32 is a wearplate 34 of general U-section comprising a top web 35 and dependingflanges 38, 38 which externally 'overlap upper portions of the sidewalls 4, 4 for limiting longitudinal movement of the wear plate withrespect to the coupler carrier. At opposite ends of the Wear plate 34are lugs 4l, 46 secured in any convenient manner to the wear plate as bywelding. The lugs 4B, 40 aorddncreased area for bearing against the endwalls IS, I6 and it may 'be noted that transverse movement of the wearplate with respect to the carrier is limited by abutment of the ends ofthe wear plate against said end walls IB, I6. The shank 42 of theassociated coupler may be seated on the wear plate as at 44 between theupstanding end portions I 0, I0.

It will be understood from a consideration of Figure 3 that duringextreme downward movement of the coupler shank 42 the resilient member26 will flow into abutment with the inner surfaces of the side walls 4,4, so that the member 26 will be compressed by and between the top wallof the wear plate 34, the side walls 4, 4, and the wall I8 in suchmanner as to afford a direct force path from each of said walls to everyother thereof during said extreme downward movement of the couplershank. By this arrangement pounding of the coupler shank will besubstantially eliminated.

It Will thus be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that I havedesigned a novel coupler carrier mechanism for supporting a couplershank on a coupler carrier in a manner such that shocks from jars andjolting are cushioned by the resilient member 26, and severe poundingand noise is substantially eliminated. K

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exactembodiment of the device shown which is merely by way of illustrationand not limitation as various and other forms of the device will, ofcourse, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A coupler carrier mechanism comprising a carrier with upstanding endportions receiving therebetween a coupler shank, a pocket in saidcarrier extending between said end portions and comprising a bottom walland spaced side walls, a block of resilient material seated in saidpocket on said bottom wall, a member comprising a top wall between saidblock and said shank and having depending iianges externally overlappingsaid side walls, said block being adapted to engage said side wallsduring extreme downward movement of said shank whereby a direct forcepath is afforded between each of said walls and every other thereof.

2. A coupler carrier mechanism comprising a carrier, a pocket thereindened by a bottom wall and spaced side walls, a block of resilientmaterial supported on said bottom wall, a member comprising a top wallbetween said block and said shank, said member having depending angesexternally overlapping said side walls, and said block being adapted toabut said side walls during extreme downward movement of said shankwhereby pounding of said shank is substantially eliminated.

JOHN E. FLESCH.

